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Weapons
=Introduction= There are a wide range of weapons available if there was a case of zombie outbreak. Picking the right weapons can be a life or death decision. This page will help you decide which weapons would suit different circumstances. Note:Unless plunged straight to the head, piercing melee weapons are useless. =Firearms= A firearm is a device that can be used as a weapon that fires either single or multiple projectiles propelled at high velocity by the gases produced through rapid, confined burning of a propellant. Because of the power of most firearms, with enough skill you will be able to take zombies out with a single shot from a safe distance. However, firearms require ammunition, which can weigh a person down, and they make noise, which can attract nearby zombies. When choosing a firearm, it is always advised that one selects a weapon that fires a common ammunition type that has low to medium recoil. High-powered rounds will strain the shooter, and exotic ammunition may be difficult to find during a crisis. Handguns Handguns are weapons that are designed to be drawn, aimed and fired with one hand. They are usually small, light, and have low recoil, making them easy to carry and use. However, they are also fairly difficult to aim at long range, especially at a target as small as a zombie's head. They are best suited to close encounters and indoor combat. The two types of handguns are semi-automatic pistols and revolvers. Semi-auto pistols can fire as quickly as one can pull the trigger, and are fed through detachable magazines. They can hold a great deal of ammo (most 9mm magazines hold 15 rounds), and they can be affixed with silencers to reduce the noise that they make. However, the higher number of moving parts makes semi-auto handguns jam far more easily. Revolvers are fed through a chamber that rotates whenever the gun is cocked. They are known for being extremely reliable, low-maintenance weapons - in fact, it is often said that a revolver will absolutely never jam, no matter how much abuse it is put through. Also, revolvers are often chambered for more powerful rounds than their semi-auto counterparts, such as the venerable .357 Magnum. However, revolvers hold less ammunition than semi-autos (most revolver chambers hold only 6 rounds), and can take longer to reload. Recommended handguns include semi-autos chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP, and revolvers chambered in .38 Special and .357 Magnum (which can also fire .38 rounds without a problem). All of these rounds are common, and have low to medium recoil. Larger calibers, such as the 44 Magnum, typically constitute overkill against a zombie at anything less that the outer limits of a conventional pistol's range. Of particular note are revolvers and semi-automatics chambering the 22 Long Rifle cartridge; though underpowered by conventional standards, in a zombie scenario the round is easy to transport (fifty rounds can fit in the palm of your hand), plentiful, has negligible recoil and muzzle flash, and is effective at the close-quarters ranges where the handgun comes into its own. Rifles Rifles are firearms that are designed to hit targets at long range. There are four types of rifles: bolt-action rifles, lever-action rifles, semi-auto rifles, and assault rifles. With bolt-action rifles, fresh cartridges must be loaded into the chamber through manual operation of the bolt. With lever-action rifles, cartridges are manually loaded through the operation of a lever near the trigger guard. Semi-auto rifles automatically load cartridges whenever the trigger is pulled. Finally, assault rifles are selective-fire weapons that can fire in either semi-auto or full-auto modes. Rifles are among the best anti-zombie weapons for one simple reason: their long range. A single sharpshooter with one rifle can bust dozens of zombie heads from over one hundred meters away before the zombies even have time to start walking to his or her position. In addition, it is easy to learn how to aim and fire a rifle. One's choice of rifle depends on personal preference: the slower fire rate of bolt-action and lever-action rifles can make the user less likely to shoot wildly in a panic, while semi-auto and assault rifles can take down zombies more quickly. However, when using an assault rifle, it is important to only use it in semi-auto mode - full-auto fire only wastes ammo against zombies. Also, some longer rifles may prove to be fairly bulky in close quarters. Common rifle rounds include the .223 Remington/5.56x45mm NATO, the .30-30 Winchester, the .303 British, the .30-06 Springfield, and the .308 Winchester/7.62X51 NATO. Carbines Coming in their own calibers, pistol calibers, and rifle calibers, carbines may be bulkier than pistols, but have things to make up for that Pros *Fast reload *Medium stopping power *smaller than rifles, yet comparible in power *Low recoil *Lowered sounds *Good for those unskilled with firearms Cons *Should only be used with weaker members of the group for cover fire *Pistol-calibers are bulky with only a little more stopping power Shotguns Shotguns range in power through various guages and loads. Can also range in size from single barrel, double barel, extended tubes, sawed-off barrels, pistol grips and other variations. Wooden stock models are heavy and applicable as a melee weapon while composite and shortened varaitions offer a great amount of power within a small frame. Pros *Powerful loads *ammo widely available *various ammo for almost any scenario *effective in close quarters *effective as hunting weapon as well as personal defence *wide pellet spread Cons *Ammo is bulky *Effective range is relatively short *Even with extended tubes, overall capacity is relatively low *Loading time is long with almost every model Sub-Machine Guns Sub-Machine Guns usually any small, automatic one or two handed weapon that can release a stream of bullets in a short amount of time. Commonly seen in use by SWAT or other special units in the military and police. Pros *Smaller, portable *Higher ammunition count (more bullets) *Easier to control compared to assault weaponry *Fast Reload Cons *Often have smaller calibers *Empty quicker than other firearms *Generally have a lower range Machine Guns Machine guns are suppression weapons designed to fire sustained bursts of ammunition. They can be seen in action in all modern armed forces, and are sometimes seen in use in emplaced positions. Pros *Excellent for crowd control *Usually superb stopping force *Can be setup to defend installations Cons *Commonly heavy and bulky. Not very portable *Large requirement for ammunition *Loud, and has a large muzzle flash Bows and Crossbows Possibly the most overlooked of all ranged weapons. A bow is a medium to large weapon consisting of a pair of curved, elastic limbs connected by a string. It is designed to launch a projectile (commonly referred to as an arrow or a bolt) at deadly velocities. Bows are usually easy to find in most sports and hunting stores and large amounts of ammunition can commonly be found with them, or relatively easily manufactured. There are a wide range of bows, from small bows and pistol crossbows to high-power crossbows. Limb design varies widely as well, from the standard curve to recurve and compound bows. Increased complexity normally results in increased power or ease of use, but of course creates more risk of mechanical failure. Pros *Easy to reload and fire. *A high projectile weight means that penetration and impact can be high, especially with the more powerful bows. *Ammunition can be retrieved from the field of battle and reused. *Bows are often lighter than chemical propellant weapons with equivalent damage or range. *A skilled archer (bow user) can hit targets at ranges comparable to or greater than a handgun or small rifle. *Much quieter than a firearm. Cons *The bigger bows are as long as a large rifle, and wider. They can be tricky to move with, despite their light weight. *The ammunition is bulky, and large amounts can be heavy. *It uses stored muscle power, so extended use can be tiring. *Accurate use requires a high level of skill. *A slower firing rate compared even to most semi-automatic weapons, reducing the effectiveness against large numbers of opponents. =Mêlée= Construction Weapons These can be very usefull, almost every construction tool can cause fatal damage. The Crowbar This is an incredibly useful weapon. Highly recomonded for a melee weapon. Pros: *One hit to the head and the Zombie is down *It's not just a weapon. It can be used as a tool to open doors, and break crates. Cons: *Limited range *If you put too much energy in the swing you will become off balance. Blunt Weapons Blunt trauma is very hard to inflict. However, blunt objects are plentiful and easy to find. Baseball and Cricket bats The most common weaponry for the non-firearms zombie hunter. This weapon comes in two varieties: metal and wood Wooden Highly unreliable, these will break eventually, and are not encouraged for use, though are more common Aluminum or other Metal As far as blunt weapons, these metal bats are very reliable, and are very unlikely to break. Though eventually these bats will bend out of shape. Advantages: A simple weapon to use (essentially a well-made club), no need for ammunition. Disadvantages: Need for close-quarters, Need for a fair level of physical strength, eventual destruction. Where to find them: Sporting goods stores (or sports aisles in large shops), many houses, sports stadiums. Hammers or weighted clubs Hammers come in many shapes and sizes. Anything from a 'claw-hammer' and up can be an effective weapon, and the amount of blunt-trauma damage that can be inflicted with relative ease makes it effective against zombies. Advantages: Needs less strength than an unweighted club, due to increased momentum. Disadvantages: Slower than a club, trickier to use without practice (especially against a fast-moving target), heavier to carry around, saps energy faster than a lighter club. Where to find them: Hardware stores, hardware sections in large stores, many houses, museums (in the case of medieval weapons, such as greathammers). Large Bladed Weapons Swords Uncommon as a modern weapon due to their size and weight and poor performance against projectile weapons (as well as many legal restrictions around the world), swords nevertheless remain a popular part of military and civilian culture. Many ranks include a sword of some form as part of the official 'dress' uniform, and many hobby-like pastimes involve a sword (popular examples are fencing and 'historical recreation', although the swords are normally blunted and/or padded) Swords are also popular for display. Here again, however, the sword may be cheap and/or deliberately kept blunt. Swords range substantially in size and weight, from (for example) the Roman short sword, the lightly curved (and often exquisitely made) Japanese Katana, and the massive and heavy medieval two-handed greatsword. Advantages: Advantages include the massive amount of damage that can be relatively easily done, the lack of any need for ammunition, and (against human opponents) the potential intimidation factor. Disadvantages: Disadvantages of the sword include the necessity for close range use and a certain base level of skill for effective use. Where to find them: Wall displays in houses, specialist civilian weapons shops, military dress uniform stores, museums.